Helen Sommers Re-Election Watch Begins

Public radio reporter Austin Jenkins wrote this story for Crosscut.com yesterday about what has been a hot topic in the Olympia rumor mill for a number of weeks — will Rep. Helen Sommers (D-Seattle) run for re-election in 2008?

Sommers, who is 75 is the chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and a longtime friend of higher education and the University of Washington. She has served continuously in the House of Representatives since 1973. In 2004, she battled back a tough primary election challenge from an SEIU-backed Democratic opponent and was then easily re-elected in 2006.

Speculation on her political future began in earnest this fall as several lobbyists reported that Sommers was returning campaign contributions. For her part, Sommers indicates she remains undecided about another term and won’t make her decision until after the legislative session.